While the Indian government spoke of declassifying the Bose files, Ukraine also said it would declassify over 800, 000 ‘top secret’ files of Russian spy agencies of the Soviet era and make them available to the public. Among the files, dated between 1917 and 1991, were said to be intelligence dispatches of Siberian gulags (Russian camps for political prisoners), where Bose was suspected to have been imprisoned along with prisoners of war and political dissidents.The decision to declassify the top-secret files of State Security (KGB), Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), CHEKA, Prosecution of USSR, NKVD, SMERSH and Ministry of State Security (MGB) was taken by the Ukraine Parliament in April 2015. However, these, too, have not been made public and are likely to remain buried.In the Modi government’s selective recollection of historical events as a ‘zero sum game’, there have been suggestions that Nehru was responsible for what happened to Bose in 1945, although India was still not free and Nehru not yet the Prime Minister. Neither Britain nor Russia or Japan had any reason or incentive to do Nehru’s bidding.What is more, Bose and Nehru shared a very special, close personal bond. Bose, younger to Nehru by a few years, was the only Congress leader in Switzerland with Nehru when Kamala Nehru died. After Bose’s death, Nehru arranged a special trust from the Congress Party’s own funds to ensure that a monthly stipend was given to Bose’s wife and infant daughter. Nehru also personally participated in the 1946 trials to free the INA prisoners of war. In fact, Nehru and Bose were allies and socialists within the Congress.According to records, it was then Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel–whom the current government claims was also denied his due by Nehru–who disliked what he thought was Bose’s defiance of Mahatma Gandhi and therefore appeared antagonistic to Bose.The twists and turns over Netaji in the last seven years suggest he is being used as a pawn by the Government to serve its political agenda. If they are serious about honouring the memory and sacrifice of Netaji, can they at least think beyond his statue?(This was first published in National Herald on Sunday)
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